Custodian suspended for a year: Bramwell accused of possessing cocaine

LORAIN -- A Lorain school custodian accused of possessing cocaine during a traffic stop has been suspended for a year without pay, according to records from the Lorain Civil Service Commission.

Lee Bramwell, 57, of Lorain, has pleaded innocent to charges of possession of drugs, two counts of drunk driving and possessing drug paraphernalia, according to Lorain County Common Pleas Court records.

In March, Bramwell was suspended indefinitely from his job as custodian at Hawthorne Elementary School following the incident on Dec. 2, 2012, according to civil service records.

He appealed that decision and asked the Lorain Civil Service Commission to reinstate him, according to civil service records.

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This week, the Lorain Civil Service Commission voted to suspend him for one year without pay starting March 25, the date school officials suspended Bramwell without pay, according to civil service records.

Bramwell at first was placed on paid leave. His attorney, Amy L. Zawacki, of Toledo, argued he was put on unpaid leave due to the financial condition of Lorain schools. Zawacki contends the school district did not have authority to suspend Bramwell indefinitely.

School attorney Anthony Giardini, of Lorain, argued the school district did not have to wait for the outcome of Bramwell's criminal case to take disciplinary action against him.

Bramwell also admitted to school officials that he "messed up" and had the drug during the traffic stop, Giardini said in a brief to the Lorain Civil Service Commission.

Bramwell's case remains pending at Lorain County Common Pleas Court. Lorain Municipal Court records show that a Lorain County Metro Parks ranger stopped a blue 1993 Ford Ranger on East 31st Street near Days Dam Park about 4:45 p.m. on Dec. 2, 2012.

The driver, Bramwell, was cited for DUI, and a breath test showed he allegedly had a blood alcohol content of 0.142, according to the citation.

Bramwell was hired in April 2011 as custodian for Masson school, which housed the district's Academic Enrichment and Credit Recovery academies.

When the district closed Masson, Bramwell was made head custodian at Hawthorne Elementary School.

A February 2012 performance evaluation by Custodial Services Supervisor Kevin Haupt rated Bramwell above average for performance of duty, work habits and attitude; and satisfactory for other job skills, according to his personnel file.

Bramwell was described as a "dedicated, hard worker, gets along well with staff; works hard to improve building's maintenance and appearance," according to notes by Haupt.